A 40-year-old village head from Zvishavane has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for raping a 23-year-old woman from the same village.
The Zvishavane Magistrates’ Court heard that the offender, who held a position of authority, took advantage of the victim’s trust and assaulted her at his homestead on September 18, 2025.
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According to the State, the offender approached the victim’s father claiming that the sorghum used for a rain-making ritual had dried and needed to be crushed. The victim was instructed to accompany him to his homestead, where he led her into a round hut and attacked her.
Despite her resistance, he overpowered the victim and raped her.
The victim disclosed the incident to her parents several days later after they noticed changes in her behaviour. The matter was subsequently reported to the police, leading to the offender’s arrest.
The court took a serious view of the case, citing the offender’s abuse of authority and the trauma inflicted on the victim, and imposed a 17-year custodial sentence.
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